Go Team, Go!!!

Watching college football on television got me to thinking about just how silly most sports fans look on game day – it’s part of the fun I think. But sometimes you do have to up the style quotient a notch. I have had a recent experience that is an excellent case in point.

As I have mentioned before, the hubby and I have season tickets to the Los Angeles Clippers that happen to be in a very prominent location for photo ops. This has always meant being a little bit self aware lest you find yourself getting texts from friends who see you scarfing up popcorn, wearing a baseball cap and track suit on national television. Oh yeah, sooooo not good for one’s fashion cred.

This year the stakes got upped another notch when we found we have new folks sitting in front of us in the next row – the very gorgeous Gloria Govan, star of Basketball Wives and wife of the handsome LA Clipper Matt Barnes, and their adorable twins Carter and Isaiah. She is engaging and lovely, and the little boys, along with their good buddy Chris Paul Jr., draw a lot of player and therefore camera attention.

The Barnes family members are quite the Fashionistas – Matt, always well dressed off court, was even a guest on Fashion Police this summer and his taste and knowledge were impressive. Even the twins are always nattily dressed – so adorable and on-trend, even at four! Gloria has great style and the girl can rock skinnies and Louboutains like nobody’s business. But it’s not all NBA Wife bling. I complemented her at one game on a really chic necklace and she giggled and shyly told me it was from Forever21.

Needless to say, I have found myself making a bit more of an effort to look my best when we are at the games – not so easy this particular year. And it got even trickier when, miracles of miracles, my beloved team made it to the playoffs. Why you ask? Well besides increased media coverage, the arena gives away free shirts for every playoff game in the Clippers team color – red. They want you to wear them or wear you own red fan gear to show a sea of red on national television (see pic above). It makes a great visual impact and would be great if the freebies weren’t too small to go over my chest.

I wanted to represent my beloved team – and I wanted to look chic doing it. To make it more challenging, there are a LOT of games (stretches of two, three or four home games in a week) and frequently I am going straight from the office to the game, so clearly the one hand-sequined tee I made wasn’t going to cut it. Game on!

I started with some fun shoes – it took some hunting but I managed to find not one but two cute and comfy pairs of red shoes on sale – adorable sparkly metallic Cole Haan ballet flats and some Dansko’s that look like platform Keds – no tottering about in ridiculously high heels for me. Next I found two great layering cardigans (one long and drapey, one cropped and classic), an a-line cashmere tunic and a ballet neck tee all from JJill in a gorgeous color called “True Red” and all on sale! Whahoo!!! Lastly, because I simply can’t go anywhere without great accessories, I fashioned up a bold statement necklace in silver and gorgeous red glass beads. Add trousers, leggings, or jeans in blue or white, layering pieces like my white leather jacket, et voila – a Clippers fan capsule wardrobe!

I’ve gotten quite a few compliments on the “fan” looks – even one from Gloria. And in case you are wondering, the lovely Gloria is NOT wearing free tees either– she and the rest of the team wives showed up for the playoffs in super-cute customized team jerseys, with matching ones for the twins, of course. Go Clippers!!